A low - in fact several lows - will engulf the entire Tasman Sea by the end of the week meaning NZ is in for rain and wind. By the time the weekend arrives showers kick in but then also start to clear.

A large high is still trying to hold on to the country but is drifting eastwards. The forecast is generally dry bit coastal clouds and showers increase with northerly quarter winds rising on Sunday in a number of regions and rain moving in to the West Coast.

Plenty of sunny skies remain around New Zealand thanks to large high pressure systems. A little bit of cloud is affecting the very north and very south. The next few days are similar with high pressure dominating and milder northerly quarter winds kicking in by the weekend.

Finally dry, calm weather is pushing in across most of the nation as a large Aussie high rolls on in. A few coastal showers are likely especially the north east and south west corners but generally the next week ahead looks mostly settled.

A couple of fronts are coming in this weekend but high pressure is building gradually. Saturday sees patchy rain and showers weakening and clearing in the afternoon. Sunday looks even drier and next week may have several dry days in a row for many parts of New Zealand. Here's the latest detailed forecast by WeatherWatch.co.nz head analyst Philip Duncan.

A very small area of low pressure is feeding in a very wet but narrow band of rain into the upper North Island. This has lead to flooding just north of Auckland and more flooding are highway problems are possible across Wednesday PM and may also affect Coromandel Peninsula into Thursday - but eases across Thursday gradually. Elsewhere across New Zealand high pressure has lead to mainly sunny and dry weather. More frosty conditions continue on Thursday however a warmer westerly flow is returning to the country by Friday and the weekend. This may be a little warmer for many regions than the temperatures you have had in recent days - it will also flush away the polar air left over from the Antarctic blast last weekend.

New Zealand has a chilly week this week with south to south east winds blowing over the North Island to begin with and a large frosty high moves over the South Island. A few showers and snow flurries will affect the Hawkes Bay ranges this week but rain returns to the north over the coming days with perhaps not dry nationwide weather until Friday.

A significant wintry blast is moving into the country and brutal wind chills from the Antarctic region are coming in. In this video we display something brand new - the Misery Index - which shows wind-chills of -15 to -20 possible around alpine parts of the South Island. Meanwhile the bitterly cold air with run into heavy rain over the central and eastern North Island - with very heavy snow about the plateau and eastern ranges (watch for road closures), heavy rain in the east and gales in the south and west. It’s a rough Saturday for the North Island with major frosts hitting the South Island overnight and into Sunday. It’s a very busy forecast - Philip Duncan has the latest on New Zealand’s weather this weekend and for the start of next week.

Rainy days are here to stay for most of the country today, as the wet weather which has stuck around for the last couple of weeks shows no signs of abating.

A blast of wind, rain and squally downpours is returning to New Zealand ahead of a polar blast arriving this weekend and early next week. While we are still locking in where the snow is going to fall, it's clear many regions will be exposed to polar southerlies for a time.

It was a dramatic weekend with winds close to 200km/h, snow, downpours and dramatic temperatures. This week isn't so crazy with the first few days of the week far more settled and a bit milder. By the the end of the week gales and rain returns with a potential short lived polar blast on Sunday and next Monday (Aug1)

The season WeatherWatch.co.nz dubbed as "Sprinter" earlier this week (windy Spring plus winter) returns this weekend. Saturday looks warm in the North Island for late July with gales moving in and showers. Sunday is just as windy but winds turn colder SW. Next week sees plenty more strong westerly quarter winds for NZ.

It's been a blustery few days across many parts of the country but a short lived high means Thursday PM and Friday AM will be calmer nationwide. Friday may well be record challenging warmth wise thanks to a big northerly flow across New Zealand.

Passengers travelling across the Cook Strait will have much easier journey tomorrow as rolling waves subside.

As we kick off the second week of the school holidays we have more windy westerly quarter winds. While this means fewer frosts it does encourage more snow for the ski fields and perhaps a feeling that Spring is in the air, when in fact we are actually in the depths of winter.

The airflow around the country is most westerly at the moment, which is why some areas are fairly mild but across the weekend colder air moves in, getting even colder with snow showers in both islands over Sunday and Monday morning. Next week sees more downpours and a mixture of windy westerlies and colder sou'westers.

The airflow around the country is most westerly at the moment, which is why some areas are fairly mild but across the weekend colder air moves in, getting even colder with snow showers in both islands over Sunday and Monday morning. Next week sees more downpours and a mixture of windy westerlies and colder sou'westers.

High pressure is building over the South Island and will grow into the North Island across the weekend. Expect frosts across the South Island and maybe into parts of the North Island into Sunday. Lingering downpours will affect eastern North Island and Northland - but the should ease on Sunday.

Rain heavy at times will today affect the North Island then clears east on Thursday. A brief high rolls in for Friday and Saturday with lighter winds and drier skies. However another low with subtropical rain will affect the upper North Island this Sunday and Monday.

A large low crosses New Zealand today with a brief transition on Tuesday to SW winds and clearing skies. On Wednesday and Thursday another low comes in to the North Island with more subtropical air then yet another low with subtropical features arrives this weekend.

Another big low is coming in and this will bring more big downpours, some squally with gusty winds. The low affects the entire country from Saturday PM to Monday PM. Next week looks settled for the South Island but yet another low is heading for the North Island with more subtropical rain and wind.

Tuesday is the shortest day of the year (Winter Solstice) but the airflow developing across New Zealand is mostly out of the subtopics producing a very warm week. Friday and Saturday look to be transition days but a storm may cross all of the country next Sunday and Monday.

We have plenty of high pressure across the country this weekend with a cold front moving northwards. The highs will end up crushing the front on Sunday around Cook Strait. Temperatures will be average to slightly above average. The last day of Fieldays should see dry weather with the chance of an early fog patch.

High pressure is trying to dominate NZ this week but west to south west winds are bringing in a few light showers. A cold front is heading north over the next 12 hours but is weakening as it does so. Next week prepare for possible record challenging warmth across NZ as the subtropics return.

This week has kicked off a little cool but the week ahead looks average to above average temperature-wise due to more westerlies coming back, with subtropical winds returning to some areas by Friday. A brief cold front on Wednesday will see a burst of rain or showers move north but falls apart over the upper North Island.

The big high that gave NZ a stunning long weekend is now a blocking high to our east and is feeding in a warm subtropical nor'easter. By Friday and the weekend we are back to west to south west winds - with westerlies the theme for the next couple of weeks.

A large high is rolling across New Zealand this long weekend meaning cold mornings but sunny days. A few showers may linger around East Cape and north of Whangarei. Next week looks warmer and subtropical for a time.

A cold southerly covers the country but a big high pressure system is coming for the weekend and next week. While a few coastal showers will continue most places will be settled, with a warm subtropical flow coming in next week.

Daytime highs in the mid-20s when they should be in the mid to late teens, that is the forecast for a number of regions across both islands for the first week of May. The warm spell of weather might even continue into the third week of May for some in the north. We track the rain makers, wind flows and highs and lows for the first week of May